Here we are in La Paz, a city on the Sea of Cortez. We have been to the Club Cruseras (Cruisers Club) for coffee and found they are very active in the community of cruisers and the city. They have an auction (Subasta) coming up that will benefit the schools here, run a blood pressure clinic, swap meet (boat parts), have a bazaar that cruisers can host a table for their crafts and many other things during the year. You can find people to help you with anything through this club. People are very friendly and helpful.
I signed up to get a flu shot and a day and a half before the shot clinic I got the flu (probably just food poisoning) but I did not get to have a flue shot! So I will need to find it on my own. Isn't that the way it goes.
Yesterday we got moorage at the Marina de las Palmira. We have not been in a marina for over a month and it is time to do a major clean the salt off job. We have salt crystals on the windows and just about everything on deck. Since we are both feeling better we will do a bit today and then more this week.
My job is to finish some boat sewing, a cover for the life raft and for the B-que. We are having clouds today and that is expected to last through Tuesday. A northern wind being sent from Canada.
Monday I am attending a quilting group called La Paz Peace Makers. Maybe I can get the scoop on where to find fabrics in La Paz.
More later...I just got invited to breakfast by Don.
Jacquie
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Special Day: Bahia Los Muertos
We finally took just a leisure day, no work per se. Don sat on deck and enjoyed his tea and I sewed on a Christmas stocking for my 8th grandchild, I need to mail it from La Paz. Then we went to the beach and waded, found a few shells and just sat in the water up to our necks. There were lots of rocks and a sandy shole so that is where we sat, it was like a 86 degree kiddie pool for big people. LOL.
Then we walked up to this beautiful restaurant and we were the only ones there. Gorgeous hut type open air with big fans and leather topped tables and leather chairs. They had a open shower for people to rinse the sand off and we used it. While sitting at the table I saw something that reminded me of a pheasant and come to find out it was a genuine "roadrunner" and it looked exactly like the one Wiley Coyote is always chasing and it ran up the hillside like a flash. It is fun to watch those things when you see them.
We had a huge lunch: Don ordered the child rellano and it was "out of this world", nothing like what we get in the states. A huge poblano chile stuffed with fish and vegies, wrapped in a light egg batter and a wonderful fresh tomato sauce tht was slightly sweet. YUM!!!
They were playing nice music that was so restful I guess I fell alseep at the table with my hand under my chin...Don said I was out for at least a half hour. How many Cerviesa could he have had while I was out. Now the great part is this lunch was under 30.00 US.
Then we walked back to our dingy and fishermen had just arrived with their catch and they offered us some and for 10.00 we got a huge fillet of wawhoo which is Ono in Hawaiian ann a half of a Dorado which is MahiMahi. What a find because the Pescado is not that cheap here in the markets and you can't tell how fresh it is.
Then we motored out to the boat and just relaxed, eating some fruit and a small sandwich on fresh baked bread.
Now this was my idea of what our trip would be like.
Jacquie
Then we walked up to this beautiful restaurant and we were the only ones there. Gorgeous hut type open air with big fans and leather topped tables and leather chairs. They had a open shower for people to rinse the sand off and we used it. While sitting at the table I saw something that reminded me of a pheasant and come to find out it was a genuine "roadrunner" and it looked exactly like the one Wiley Coyote is always chasing and it ran up the hillside like a flash. It is fun to watch those things when you see them.
We had a huge lunch: Don ordered the child rellano and it was "out of this world", nothing like what we get in the states. A huge poblano chile stuffed with fish and vegies, wrapped in a light egg batter and a wonderful fresh tomato sauce tht was slightly sweet. YUM!!!
They were playing nice music that was so restful I guess I fell alseep at the table with my hand under my chin...Don said I was out for at least a half hour. How many Cerviesa could he have had while I was out. Now the great part is this lunch was under 30.00 US.
Then we walked back to our dingy and fishermen had just arrived with their catch and they offered us some and for 10.00 we got a huge fillet of wawhoo which is Ono in Hawaiian ann a half of a Dorado which is MahiMahi. What a find because the Pescado is not that cheap here in the markets and you can't tell how fresh it is.
Now this was my idea of what our trip would be like.
Jacquie
Monday, November 23, 2009
What do we do all day???
Each day is a bit different and varies when we are cruising or in a port. What we do also depends on whether we are in a large port or a small bay; a Bahia in spanish. Today we are in the Bahia de Las Muertos, inside the Sea of Cortez.
We are making bread, nothing much to buy in the little villages, except tortillas, and I will try my hand at making those this afternoon. We have very simple, one dish meals and add a fruit or vegie. Storage for fresh things is limited. Mexico has great boxed milk (2%) like the soy milk comes in so we can buy several and not need the refrigeration until we open it. Most days we have a larger breakfast or lunch and then light dinner snack. We have both gotten thinner. Hooray!
If we have to use the engine we try to make water every 2-3 days depending on how many showers and things we need to do. Every so often we have to wash some undies and easy to dry things. The heavier wash needs to wait for a laundromat. The fresh water toilet takes 1/2 a gallon per flush so depending on the day that could take quite a bit of water. We can store 100 gallons on board. Pretty good for a sail boat.
I can sew a little right now I am making a Christmas stocking to get in the mail at La Paz, and if we use our little generator we can watch a movie or a 1 hr episode of a TV show (we brought a few with us) like 24 and Lost. Next year we will bring NCIS and something lighter that just high drama.
Both of us have to take turns stearing the boat, Don does more of it than I do but I do all the docking and operation of the boat when we anchor. I have gotten good at taking us into a slip or fuel dock, Don says I am really good at it and other men have given me praise, I guess not many women do that part. The person who is no at the helm has to watch our course, check radar, make lunch etc. clean or stow gear, wash dishes or whatever else needs to be done. Then for a bit we rest. Much more active than either of us thought.
We are going to put the dingy in now and go to the beach, walk and explore. I also spent some time this morning cutting my hair. It doesn't look great but I wear hats when we go ashore, so good is okay.
We have new clippers and Don was my first ginnea pig and poor man I really got the back short, but hey it has grown out just great.
Then we have been struggling with the time changes, I guess we are in mountain time here, so we have been going to sleep with the chickens...7:30pm or so. Sailing can be tiring work.
Well time to put the dink in and go explore.
Until next time; Love Jacquie and Don
We are making bread, nothing much to buy in the little villages, except tortillas, and I will try my hand at making those this afternoon. We have very simple, one dish meals and add a fruit or vegie. Storage for fresh things is limited. Mexico has great boxed milk (2%) like the soy milk comes in so we can buy several and not need the refrigeration until we open it. Most days we have a larger breakfast or lunch and then light dinner snack. We have both gotten thinner. Hooray!
If we have to use the engine we try to make water every 2-3 days depending on how many showers and things we need to do. Every so often we have to wash some undies and easy to dry things. The heavier wash needs to wait for a laundromat. The fresh water toilet takes 1/2 a gallon per flush so depending on the day that could take quite a bit of water. We can store 100 gallons on board. Pretty good for a sail boat.
I can sew a little right now I am making a Christmas stocking to get in the mail at La Paz, and if we use our little generator we can watch a movie or a 1 hr episode of a TV show (we brought a few with us) like 24 and Lost. Next year we will bring NCIS and something lighter that just high drama.
Both of us have to take turns stearing the boat, Don does more of it than I do but I do all the docking and operation of the boat when we anchor. I have gotten good at taking us into a slip or fuel dock, Don says I am really good at it and other men have given me praise, I guess not many women do that part. The person who is no at the helm has to watch our course, check radar, make lunch etc. clean or stow gear, wash dishes or whatever else needs to be done. Then for a bit we rest. Much more active than either of us thought.
We are going to put the dingy in now and go to the beach, walk and explore. I also spent some time this morning cutting my hair. It doesn't look great but I wear hats when we go ashore, so good is okay.
We have new clippers and Don was my first ginnea pig and poor man I really got the back short, but hey it has grown out just great.
Then we have been struggling with the time changes, I guess we are in mountain time here, so we have been going to sleep with the chickens...7:30pm or so. Sailing can be tiring work.
Well time to put the dink in and go explore.
Until next time; Love Jacquie and Don
Friday, November 20, 2009
From Magdalena Bay to Cabo San Lucas
Well here are just a random sampling of some pictures we've taken since October 25, 2009.
Shown above: John and Rose Olson on SerenaRay. We met them in Blaine and they sailed down last year in their sail boat but decided to buy a motorcruiser and sail the seas. They have been our guardian angels during our entry into Mexican water. Checking on us almost daily. They are at the back of the table, John in the salmon colored tank and Rosie with the great smile. Their friends who keep their boat in Mazatlan are with them,Wally and Linda. We saw them in Turtle Bay.
Next you can see our taxi driver Danielle,, in San Carlos on the Baja California Sur up Magdalena Bay where we had to stay 12 days to do a boat repair (engine).
The boat is the Pacific Mystic, it belongs to Valerie and Eric Waggoneer who are former Seattleites. We met them in the Pier 32 Marina, San Diego. We will be seeing them in La Paz, they are in their early 40's and have given up the hectic pace for sailing, and eventually going over to France where Valerie was born (I believe). She and I bonded at Trader Joe's, we had identical purchases in our carts. This picture was taken at the starting line for the Baja Ha-Ha journey which we finished 3rd. Everyone that isn't first or second is third... We arrived at Cabo 12 days late due to engine repairs.
That last picture is Don and me at the Baja Ha-Ha send off party. Which you can see was a costume party. We originally thought we would go as Wilma and Fred Flintstone but later changed it to Tarzan and Jane; I think that was because of Don's hair, he hasn't had a hair cut since we left Blaine on July 8, 2009. ha-ha.
Pictures below are: a crab that I saw in Santa Maria Bay while gathering sand dollar that are 4-6 inches in diameter. Don and I have our first ice cold drink in weeks and the local (Cabo) starbucks where I got the royal treatment when I told them I lived in Seattle for 15 years. They did a great job and were so friendly.
Standing By in Cabo San Lucas: Jacquie
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Where is Little Christian on the Big Ocean.
Hola Amigos;
We are okay if anyone was worried or wondering. We have not had internet since we entered Mexico and we do not have phone service...AT & T too expensive, 59cents per minute after the monthly fee so it is not in the cards for this year. But we do have Skype so if you have it you can talk to us if we are some where there is internet. For today, just to have internet I had to rent a hotel room for the day. At least on the Baja peninsula there is no internet even at an internet cafe we could not connect.
So exactly where are we...We left the US on October 26 with the big Baja Ha-Ha group of cruisers and there were storm warnings, so the man that runs it said if there wer ad conditions we would delay a couple of days. However, since they had all this media attention for the first time ever...we all were told that it was okay and if it was too tough we had the choice of pulling in at night..and we did..but the die hard racers did not pull in and the group except for a few of us kept going. Thus we fell behind and since we were supposed to sail as much as possible we sailed. We made the first way point just as everyone else was leaving and we took a day to sleep and rest. So we left for the second way point and were again in really tough seas with no where to pull in. We again got to Magdalena Bay just as everyone was leaving, and since our friends John and Rose were coming in the next day chose to rest and see them and leave the next day. With good winds we should have made the Cabo party by November 7th...However, when checking out the boat to leave Don discovered an engine problem with a seal that he had fixed in San Diego...(apparently we got slightly taken) by the guy in SanDiego.
We prayed...should we go on to Cabo and hope to get it fixed there (we were advised it was very expensive to have repairs done there or go up this little inlet in the bay that went to a small village San Carlos Baja Sur. We have to anchor out, pay for taxis to get anywhere and plus no one in town takes credit cards only cash...no engine parts...but a boat from US IronMaiden is here doing their own repairs and he can also do our repairs. I think we have been here almost 2 weeks...
Well God did lead us, if we had gone on we probably would have lost the engine entirely. So we finally rented a hotel room just to have internet and do banking and communicate with family and friends. This is a huge learning curve. Plus the boat is low on power because we can't run the engine and it depends on everything....our little generator can barely keep the refrig cool. PRAY FOR US.
On the plus side: My spanish is improving, there are palm trees, beaches and some great food. We have only eaten out 2 times but we have had to shop in the market and try some new things. It is in the 80's and who can beat that. Our spirits are up, Don has been stressed, as you may have guessed and I will need to get some medications soon! But we are trying to let each day be its own day and not worry about tomorrow. Really different than life at home where you tend to just think the next day will be the same and predictable. Here we know it won't be anything but what God brings.
Love Jacquie
We are okay if anyone was worried or wondering. We have not had internet since we entered Mexico and we do not have phone service...AT & T too expensive, 59cents per minute after the monthly fee so it is not in the cards for this year. But we do have Skype so if you have it you can talk to us if we are some where there is internet. For today, just to have internet I had to rent a hotel room for the day. At least on the Baja peninsula there is no internet even at an internet cafe we could not connect.
So exactly where are we...We left the US on October 26 with the big Baja Ha-Ha group of cruisers and there were storm warnings, so the man that runs it said if there wer ad conditions we would delay a couple of days. However, since they had all this media attention for the first time ever...we all were told that it was okay and if it was too tough we had the choice of pulling in at night..and we did..but the die hard racers did not pull in and the group except for a few of us kept going. Thus we fell behind and since we were supposed to sail as much as possible we sailed. We made the first way point just as everyone else was leaving and we took a day to sleep and rest. So we left for the second way point and were again in really tough seas with no where to pull in. We again got to Magdalena Bay just as everyone was leaving, and since our friends John and Rose were coming in the next day chose to rest and see them and leave the next day. With good winds we should have made the Cabo party by November 7th...However, when checking out the boat to leave Don discovered an engine problem with a seal that he had fixed in San Diego...(apparently we got slightly taken) by the guy in SanDiego.
We prayed...should we go on to Cabo and hope to get it fixed there (we were advised it was very expensive to have repairs done there or go up this little inlet in the bay that went to a small village San Carlos Baja Sur. We have to anchor out, pay for taxis to get anywhere and plus no one in town takes credit cards only cash...no engine parts...but a boat from US IronMaiden is here doing their own repairs and he can also do our repairs. I think we have been here almost 2 weeks...
Well God did lead us, if we had gone on we probably would have lost the engine entirely. So we finally rented a hotel room just to have internet and do banking and communicate with family and friends. This is a huge learning curve. Plus the boat is low on power because we can't run the engine and it depends on everything....our little generator can barely keep the refrig cool. PRAY FOR US.
On the plus side: My spanish is improving, there are palm trees, beaches and some great food. We have only eaten out 2 times but we have had to shop in the market and try some new things. It is in the 80's and who can beat that. Our spirits are up, Don has been stressed, as you may have guessed and I will need to get some medications soon! But we are trying to let each day be its own day and not worry about tomorrow. Really different than life at home where you tend to just think the next day will be the same and predictable. Here we know it won't be anything but what God brings.
Love Jacquie
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